Screw band with washers

ABSTRACT

A screw band with washers includes a screw band body having a plurality of planting holes spaced apart equidistantly for planting screws vertically and a plurality of washers respectively located just under the head of each screw and above the band body. Then an automatic screwdriver may drive each screw and each washer smoothly and quickly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to a screw band with washers, particularly to one having a plurality of screws completely held positioned regularly, and a washer respectively placed on each planting hole for each screw in the screw band.

[0002] A conventional screw band disclosed in Canadian patent No. 1054982 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, and a second conventional screw band disclosed in Germany patent No. 761214 also the same as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are the earliest ones, having a screw band 1 with a band body 10, and a plurality of screws 12 held spaced apart equidistantly in the band body 10, and two enveloping strips 11 located to attach the screws 12 to the band body 10 to stabilize the screws 12 at the same height. However, if a washer 13 is to be mounted to each screw held in the screw band 1, a worker has to hold a tool with one hand and hold a washer 13 with the other hand to have the washer be inserted through by a screw so as to drive the screw together with the washer, losing half the purpose of automatic operation of screw driving by means of the screw band.

[0003] A third conventional screw band disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,630 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, comprises a washer 30 inserted on each screw 3 arranged regularly in a screw band. The outer diameter d1 of each washer 30 is larger than that of the head 31 of each screw 3, unfortunately in this design, the neighboring washers 30 may contact and push each other during driving the screw, resulting in the possibility of slipping off of the washers.

[0004] A fourth conventional screw band shown in FIG. 5, includes a screw band positioned horizontally for screws planted in planting holes of the screw band. The screw band may naturally hang down and twist owing to the weight of screws so that the same disadvantage of holding a tool with one hand and a washer with the other hand is involved as in the same way shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. In addition, the washers attached below the screw band may also push each other, as another flaw.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The objective of the present invention is to provide an improved configuration for positioning washers on a screw band so as to avoid any interference from neighboring washers during driving the screw.

[0006] Accordingly, in accordance with this objective, the present invention provides a collated screw band comprising a flexible screw band body with a plurality of planting holes, a plurality of washers, and a plurality of threaded fasteners;

[0007] each fastener disposed about an axis and having a head at an upper end, a sharp or drill point formed at the other lower end and a shank extending from below the head to the sharp or drill point about the axis, threads about the shank;

[0008] the flexible screw band body holding the fasteners mounted with washers in a row spaced equidistantly;

[0009] the screw band body having a plurality of planting holes with vertical elastic structure extending from below the screw band to hold the respective fasteners planted therein;

[0010] each washer mounted right below the head of each fastener and positioned above each aforementioned hole of the screw band, as being sandwiched between each screw head and the band.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0011]FIG. 1 is a side view of a first and second conventional screw band;

[0012]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

[0013]FIG. 3 is a side view of a third conventional screw band;

[0014]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the line 4-4 in FIG. 3;

[0015]FIG. 5 is a side view of the fourth conventional screw band;

[0016]FIG. 6 is a partial upper view of a first embodiment of a screw band in the present invention;

[0017]FIG. 7 is a partial side view of the first embodiment of a screw band in the present invention;

[0018]FIG. 8 is a partial upper view of a second embodiment of a screw band in the present invention;

[0019]FIG. 9 is a partial side view of the second embodiment of a screw band in the present invention;

[0020]FIG. 10 is an upper view of various drive recesses of screws applicable to a screw band in the present invention;

[0021]FIG. 11 is a partial upper view of a third embodiment of a screw band in the present invention;

[0022]FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the line 12-12 in FIG. 11;

[0023]FIG. 13 is a partial upper view of a fourth embodiment of a screw band in the present invention;

[0024]FIG. 14 is a partial side view of the fourth embodiment of a screw band in the present invention;

[0025]FIG. 15 is a partial perspective view of the fourth embodiment of a screw band in the present invention;

[0026]FIG. 16 is a partial upper view of a fifth embodiment of a screw band in the present invention;

[0027]FIG. 17 is a partial side view of the fifth embodiment of a screw band in the present invention; and,

[0028]FIG. 18 is a partial perspective view of the fifth embodiment of a screw band in the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0029] A first and a second preferred embodiment of a screw band in the invention, as shown in FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 9, include a screw band 4, which has a screw band body 40, and a plurality of transmitting grooves 41 formed spaced apart equidistantly in two lengthwise sides of the band body 40 for a power tool to transmit the screw band 4. Further, the band body 40 has a plurality of planting holes 42 spaced apart equidistantly for screws 5 and 6 to be planted therein regularly and neatly. The heads 50 and 60 of the screws 5 and 6 respectively have combining recess 500 or 600 for an electric screwdriver bit to fit firmly therein. The shape of the combining recess 500 or 600 not only has a square recess shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, but Phillips recess shown in (A) in FIG. 10, Cross-square recess shown in (B) in FIG. 10, Pozi recess shown in (C) in FIG. 10, a shield recess shown in (D) in FIG. 10, and a torx recess shown in (E) in FIG. 10. The head of a screw may be shaped as a pan head as shown in FIGS. 7 and 9 or any other shapes.

[0030]FIG. 7 shows a kind of screw with a pointed end 51, and FIG. 9 shows another kind of screw with a reduced self-drilling point 61, and they are all applicable to be arranged in the screw bands in the invention. The most important point in the invention is that each washer 7 are located just under the head 50 or 60 of each screw 5 or 6 and above the band, with the washer 7 has an outer diameter smaller than or equal to that of the head of each screw. Hereby mentioned washers 7 are sandwiched between the band body 40 and the head of each screw and not liable to slip through each screw body.

[0031] A third embodiment of a screw band shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, a fourth embodiment shown in FIGS. 13, 14 and 15, and a fifth embodiment shown in FIGS. 16, 17 and 18 are derived from the second preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, having screws 80, 81 and 82 all provided with a hexagonal head 800, 810 and 820 having the same function. A washer 7 used in the third, fourth and fifth embodiment is also located just under the head 800, 810 or 820, and a screw may have a self-drilling end 801, a pointed end 811, and a reduced self-drilling end 821, with the same screw band 4 being used.

[0032] A washer, with an outer diameter smaller than or equal to that of the respective screws head, sandwiched between the respective screw head and the band as in this invention resolves the problem of a screw needing a washer 7 installed in a band, so the screw band in the present invention can permit screws arranged in it driven correctly and quickly by an automatic screw-feeding power tool, without possibility of two neighboring washers interfere with each other to affect driving operation of the automatic screw-driver.

[0033] While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications may be made therein and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications that may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A screw band with washers includes a screw band and a plurality of screws planted in the band body. The band body has a plurality of planting holes spaced apart equidistantly for planting the screws vertical to the band body therein. A washer is positioned between under the head of each screw and above the band body as if sandwiched between them so that an automatic screwdriver may drive each screw with a washer smoothly and quickly. 